Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigate the variation in dynamical complexity of human brain activity for different mental loads. Our experiments measured the activity of ten subjects under three experimental conditions: a rest condition, a periodic task of finger opposition, and a task of finger opposition alternated with mathematical serial calculation. We used the correlation dimension to gauge the spatiotemporal complexity of brain activity. The experiments show a direct relationship between this complexity and the difficulty of the task. A natural interpretation is that higher levels of mental load recruit a larger number of independent neural processes that contribute to complex brain dynamics. These results suggest the possibility that the relative change in correlation dimension can be a useful global measure of brain dynamics, e.g., in determining the levels of mental activity, even if little is known about the underlying neurological processes.

Measurements of brain activity complexity for varying mental loads / Dhamala, M; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Wiesenfeld, K; Berns, Gs. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS. - ISSN 1539-3755. - STAMPA. - 65:(2002), pp. 041917-1-041917-7. [10.1103/PhysRevE.65.041917]

Measurements of brain activity complexity for varying mental loads.

PAGNONI, Giuseppe;
2002

Abstract

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigate the variation in dynamical complexity of human brain activity for different mental loads. Our experiments measured the activity of ten subjects under three experimental conditions: a rest condition, a periodic task of finger opposition, and a task of finger opposition alternated with mathematical serial calculation. We used the correlation dimension to gauge the spatiotemporal complexity of brain activity. The experiments show a direct relationship between this complexity and the difficulty of the task. A natural interpretation is that higher levels of mental load recruit a larger number of independent neural processes that contribute to complex brain dynamics. These results suggest the possibility that the relative change in correlation dimension can be a useful global measure of brain dynamics, e.g., in determining the levels of mental activity, even if little is known about the underlying neurological processes.
2002
65
041917-1
041917-7
Measurements of brain activity complexity for varying mental loads / Dhamala, M; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Wiesenfeld, K; Berns, Gs. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS. - ISSN 1539-3755. - STAMPA. - 65:(2002), pp. 041917-1-041917-7. [10.1103/PhysRevE.65.041917]
Dhamala, M; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Wiesenfeld, K; Berns, Gs
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/609274
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